Improvement in the construction of wheel vehicles



' 0, E. MILESQ Axle.

M. PETERS. FHUTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D C V V [I 2 Sheets-.-Sheet l.

Paten ted Feb. 25, 1862.

' 2--Sheets-Sheet 2. O. E. MILES.

Axle.

Patented Feb. 25, 1862.

N PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHE O. E. MILES, OI. AURORA, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEEL VEHICLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 34,51 S,'dated February 25, 1862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, O. E. MILES, of Aurora, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have. invented a new and useful Improvement in the Construction of Wheel Vehicles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being 7 had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of the back running-gear of a four-wheel vehicle constructed according to my invention, m, Fig. 2, indicating the line of section; Fig. 2, a section of the same, taken in the line y y, Fig. 1; Fig.

3, a back view of the back running-gear in elevation.

Slmilar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts 'in the several figures.

This invention relates to a new and improved manner of hanging the wheels of the vehicle and arranging the same, as hereinafter fully shown and described, whereby it is believed that many advantages are obtained over the old mode of construction.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents the bolster, and B B the two wheels, of a vehicle. These wheels are each secured to a conical arm 0 as follows: The outer and larger parts a of the arms areof cylindrical form and are hollow, so as to receive the inner parts of the hubs b of the wheels, and the hubs are firmly secured in the parts a by screw-rods c, which pass longitudinally through the arms 0 and have their nuts 01 at the front ends of the hubs, the nuts being covered by caps e on the outer ends of the hubs. (See Fig. 1.)

The larger ends a of the arms 0 are fitted in boxes D, which are placed in cast-iron frames E, said frames being permanently attached to the ends of the bolster. The frames E are prevented from having any lateral motion or play in consequence of being well braced by steel rods f at their upper and lower ends,the lower rods havingahorizontal position and the upper ones an inclined position and connected by vertical bolts 9 to the bolster A, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. Between the boxes D and the bolster A there are interposed india-rubber springs h h. These -UN1TED STATIESIYPATENT Orr1e12,}-

springs h are retained in their places by ver-' tical-pins 11, said pins being cast with the'boxes and 'fittingin holes j in the bolster. In cases where other forms of springs are used the boxes D and their frames E may be cast in one piece and the rubber springs dispensed" with.

The journals at the inner ends of the arms 0 have their bearings or boxes F cast in two equal parts k k, which, by means of trunnions Z Z, rest upon the ends of a cast-iron frame m, which is secured to the under side of a block G, said block being secured to'the bolster A by bolts n n, that pass through pins or posts 0 o, interposed between the bolster and the block, the pins 0 0 keeping the block a requisite distance below the bolster. (See Fig. 3.) The trunnions Z Z admit of the adjustment of the arms 0 to give the wheels at proper position. The block G receives the back end of the reach H. The leverage orweight downward upon the central part of the bolster A is counteracted by the rods f and bolts 9, which form a truss and transmit the downward pressure to a lateral pull or draw upon the bolster, as will be fully understood by referring to Fig. 3.

The bolts g, of which there are four, have nuts 19 on them below the bolster A, said nuts bearing on plates g, which rest on levers r *r, two being at each side of the block G. These levers 7' rest on the trunnions Z Zof the boxes F F and keep the same in proper position on the frame m. (See Fig. 3.)

The boxes D of the outer parts of the arms 0 are attached to the outer ends of fiat springs s s, the inner ends of which are secured to the bolster A by bolts 25. The springs s admitof a certain degree of yielding movement of the boxes D.

I would remark that the front gearing of a vehicle may be constructed and arranged like the back gearing herein described, slight modifications being only required to admit of the turning of the front axle.

The advantages of the invention are as follows: First, I am enabled to use a hub of small diameter possessing sufficient strength, as the hub is not weakened by the arm passing I through it, as hitherto; second,I dispense entirely with the most fruitful source of injury to wheelsto wit, the loosening of the spokes in the hubs, caused by the lubricating ma' terial finding its way into the mortises of the hub; third, the convenience of lubricating the arms, no parts requiringto be removed; fourth, the impossibility of a wheel becoming detached from the vehicle; fifth, no discrimination requires to be made in the manufacture of the arms between those used at the right and left sides of the vehicle, one and the same answering for either side, and a vast deal of trouble and expense is thereby saved to both the maker and user; sixth, the arrangement of the braces and bolts which form the truss combined with the bolster A gives great strength with lightness; seventh, the dispensing with the necessity of giving the arms of the wheels an oblique-position, as is now required, in order to give the wheels, as they run or rotate, an inclination to press toward the shoulders of the axle. By dispensing with this much friction is avoided and a much lighter draft obtained. a

' as shown, for bracing the frames E, and with the frame m, in which the trunnions Zare placed, and also with the levers 7' 1', arranged substantially as shown, for securing the trunnions l on frame on, as and for the purpose set forth. a l.

o. E. MILES". Witnesses:

LYMAN BALDWIN, S. J. HANCHETT. 

